CEDAR KEY CITY
COMMISSION MEETS
16 July 2019
Meeting Specifics: The Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, at 6 pm, at Cedar Key City Hall. Present were Mayor Heath Davis, Vice-Mayor Sue Colson, Royce Nelson, Susan Rosenthal, and Jim Wortham.
Staff in attendance included: City of Cedar Key Attorney Norm Fugate, Police Chief Virgil Sandlin, Fire Chief and Emergency Operations Director Robert Robinson, Public Works Director James Custer, City Clerk Nicole Gill, Assistant City Clerk Crystal Sharp, Staffer Telicia Winfield, and Legal Assistant to Mr. Fugate Leslie Landress.
Among those in the audience were: Janice Fugate, Buddy Scruggs, Tom and Michelle Pearson, Vanessa and Ken Edmonds, Mark Clark, Mike an Mendy Allen, Caryn Stephenson, Connie and Mike O’Dell, Peg Hall, Denise Feiber, Sam Gibbs, Jim and Nikki Mason, James Fleming, Kristie Scialdone, Danielle Zoerrhof, C&M Dredging staff, Tom Ankerson, , Jeri and Bob Treat, and Mandy Offerle.
PUBLIC COMMENT
MENDY ALLEN RECOGNITION
Mayor Heath Davis and the commissioners recognized resident Mendy Allen for generously volunteering her time, expertise, and energy to the City of Cedar Key for the past several years. Click here for details:
https://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/4825-city-of-cedar-key-thanks-allen
EXCESSIVE NOISE
A Cedar Key resident living on G Street, Nikki Mason spoke about “respect and responsibility.” Mason stated that on Independence Day weekend, high-percussion, high-impact fireworks came from the motel/inn and beach area along G Street near her home did not stop after ten pm but went on until 1:35 am. The same thing occurred the following night.
Mason urged business owners to respect the residential area and take the responsibility to inform their tenants of the related restrictions.
HEPATITIS A IMMUNIZATIONS
Levy County Health Department officials will be in Cedar Key on August 1, 9am to 3:30pm, to administer Hepatitis A immunizations. “Hepatitis-A is a vaccine-preventable, communicable disease of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is usually transmitted person-to-person through the fecal-oral route or consumption of contaminated food or water,” reports the Centers for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/index.htm
Service workers are encouraged to become vaccinated. Those working with seafood, in restaurants, or using drugs are particularly urged to do so.
FORMAL QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING
Cedar Key Contractor Ken Edmonds presented resident and petitioner James Fleming’s request for a development review for relocation in the redevelopment zone and an addition to the building currently located at 509 Second Street.
If the plan is actualized, more street-level shopping or dining would occur on Second Street. If a new building were to be erected, it would have to be elevated according to FEMA flood-plain requirements. Moving a historical structure, which these two buildings are designated, need not be elevated.
Seven empty lots currently exist between the Nature Coast Realty and Haley Simpson Hair Salon; all face Second Street. The plan includes moving the building that once housed Island Arts to the front of one of the empty lots; the building that once housed Tina’s Hair Salon and Molly’s Coffee Shop will be moved to the rear of the same lot. The buildings may house a restaurant or a shop. An adjacent lot would be landscaped and set aside for outside dining.
Because one of the buildings to be moved is currently owned by Drummond Bank and because he is employed by the bank, Mayor Davis recused himself and handed the quasi-judicial gavel to Vice-Mayor Sue Colson. Commissioners unanimously approved the review.
Both Edmonds and Fleming spoke to the complexity of the project. The process for moving the building is not yet determined. Should the project be completed and succeed, both, too, spoke to the prospect of moving other historically designated buildings to the Historic District.
MARINA DREDGING UPDATE
Public Works Director James Custer and Mayor Davis announced that, thanks to the University of Florida’s Dr. Mark Clark and three yeas of perseverance, the city now has the Department of Environmental Protection’s and the Army Corps of Engineers’ permits necessary to dredge. On August 1, C&M Dredging will start dredging the entrance to/exit from the Marina. Work will occur five days per week, not on weekends, thus not exacerbating already difficult parking. The spoils will be deposited of locally on city property where it will dry and become fertile ground.
SURPLUS EQUIPMENT
Public Works Director Custer requested that he surplus a mower, a bobcat, and a sweeper. Commissioners unanimously approved the request.
MARINA LEASE CHANGE
Tidewater Tours owners Connie and Mike O’Dell announced that they will sell their business to Tom and Michelle Pearson. In so doing, Tidewater Tours commercial lease contract is “transferred” to the new owners.
MAYOR’S RESIDENT FORUM
Notes taken from the Mayor’s Residents Forum follow. Davis directed staff to place the items of upcoming agendas; he plans to work through each concern. https://cedarkeynews.com/index.php/city-news/4824-city-of-cedar-key-town-forum-results
DEPARTMENT HEADS’ QUARTERLY REPORTS
Commissioners accepted the quarterly reports; no concerns were raised.
MINOR REPLAT FINAL ORDER
The final order for Minor Replat 2019-01, requested by owner John Dozier was tabled by Mayor Davis due its to being incomplete; the property survey has not been received.
Commissioner Wortham said that he was reconsidering last month’s approval and that he felt that they were not given sufficient or accurate information during the discussion period. Vice-Mayor Colson spoke and said that she was “not real happy about it either.”
Mayor Davis again called for tabling the item commenting that commissioners have continued to look into it and have some questions. “When we get the survey, we will discuss it again. Maybe there could be facts found within that discussion that could be good enough to make it unsuitable.”
Because of the new discussion at the next meeting, new notices will be sent to all affected parties.
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW FINAL ORDER CHURCH OF CHRIST
Commissioners unanimously approved the final order approving the Church of Christ’s request for a 490 square-foot addition to its fellowship hall and renovate a space for a new bathroom.
MINUTES APPROVED
Commissioners unanimously approved the June 18, 2019, Cedar Key City Commission Meeting Minutes.
MEETING ADJOURNED
The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 pm.
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